Switch-stand attachment



(No Model.)

J. ROBERTS.

SWITCH STAND ATTAGHMENT.

Patented May 1'7, 1887.

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JOSEPH ROBERTS, OF VYANDOTTE, KANSAS.

SWITCH-STAND SZ ECIFICATION forming part of Letters Application filedSepteniherflfl, 1984.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, Josnru Itonnn'rs, a citizen of the United States,residing at \Vyair dotte, in the count-y of \Vyandotte and State ofKansas, have invented certain new and use ful Improvements inSwitch-Stand Attachments, of which the following is a specilication,reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to switch stands, and has for its object a dangersignal so combined, constructed, and operating therewith as to pre senta safety-signal while the main track is complete or continuous, andatthe same time being capable of showing'a danger-signal continuouslywhile one of several side tracks is thrown into line with the maintrack, the mechanism employed being such that the restoration of themain track will reverse the signal from danger to safety.

The construction and operation of the in vention will be hereinafterdescribed, and the novel features thereof specifically set forth in theclaims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a per spcctivc of theswitch-stand and signal; Fig. 2, a central vertical section with thesignal in elevation. Figs. 3, 4, and 5 are horizontal sections, showingthe signal-operating devices in the several positions which they assumewhen the main track is complete and when the first siding is in linewith the main track, and when the second siding isin line with thetrack, respectively.

Like letters indicate like parts in all the figures.

In any suitable frame-work, as A, thereare mounted two vertical shafts,B (l, the former provided with a crank or arm, B, adapted to operate anyusual connecting-bar, which is secured in any usual manner with theswinging rails of a switch, so that when shaft B is rotated the arm Brotates with it and throws the swing-rails into line with thecommunicating rails of the main track and the sittings.

At the top of the frame-work is a substantially circular table, D,through which the shafts B and 0 project, the former being provided withan arm, B having pivotally secured thereto an operatinglever, B". The

edge of the table is provided with notches,

,ATTACHM ENT.

Patent No. 363,001, dated May 17, 1887.

Serial No. 113,792. (No model.)

in this instance thrcein number, D D D, and the lever J is adapted torest within the notches when in a vertical position, thereby serving tolock the shaft and its arm Bin one of the three positions. The shaft 0is provided with a daysignal, E, and with a night-signal or lamp, E,having the usual safety and danger indicators F and G, respectively.Directly beneath the table, and mounted upon the shaft B, is a disk, II,having a single projecting tooth, H, while upon the shaft 0 is a smallerdisk, I, having a single notch, 1, adapted to receive the tooth It, andhaving at each side of the notch concave depressions l 1", adapted tofit the periphery of the disk II at other points than where the tooth Hoccurs.

In this instance the table D is provided with three notches; but, ifdesired, it may be pro vidcd with an additional number of notches, whenthe same advantages will be secured as with three, as will appear moreclearly hcreinaftcr; and I therefore do not limit myself to theadaptation of my invention to switches comprising only two sidings and amain track.

The operation of theinvention is as follows: Taking the arm B in aposition which would result from dropping the lever B into the notch D,said arm would be directly beneath the notch I), as shown in Fig. 3. Letit be understood that when the arm B is in that position shown in Fig. 3the main track is complete or continuous and unbroken. Now, by liftingthe lever B from the notch D to a horizontal. position it falls into theslot B in the arm B thereby forming an extension of said arm, givingleverage, so as to render the operation of swinging the rail lesslaborious than would be the case were the arm B shorter. Vhen thusraised, the lever is swung one quarter of a revolution in this instance,and dropped into the notch D, and this operation of the lever and theshaft B and its arm B brings them to the position shown in Figs. 1, 2,and t. In the meantime the disk, being fixed upon the shaft B, is alsoturned a quarter-revolution, during which its tooth H has been causedtomcsh with the notch I of the disk I, so that the latter disk has alsobeen rotated a quarter of a revolution, thus rotating with it the shaft0, to which it is affixed, and the danger-signals mounted thereon being,as

riphery of the disk H, as shown in Fig. 3; but after the movementdescribed of the lever and the arm B the concave seat 1" is brought tobear upon the periphery of said disk H, and at the opposite side of itstooth H. Now, it will be observed that the lever B and arm B and shaftB, with the disk H, may be rotated for any distance short of that whichwould bring the tooth H in contact with the edge of the disk Ithat is tosay, there may be several notches formed in the periphery of the table Dintermediate, though not shown, and each of said additional notches mayserve to bind the arm by means of the lever B, dropped thereinto, andalso the arm B and the swinging rail opposite just as many side rails asthere are notches. Hence, as hereinbefore stated, I do not limit myselfto the use of my invention to a switch restricted to two sidings and amain track.

It is readily apparent that in moving the lever from the notch D to D,as j ust described, the swinging rail is brought into communica- -tionwith a siding-as, for instance, the first siding at one side of themain-track rail. So,

by a similar movement of thelever from notch D to notch D ,.the saidswinging rail is brought into communication with asecond siding outsideof the first, and in such a movement of the lever the disk H is movedfrom the position shown in Fig. 4. to that position shown in Fig. 5, thedisk I remaining motionless in order that, the main track still beingbroken, the danger-signal shall remain undisturbed. Any movements of thelever between the notches D D, so as to throw the main track upon eitherone of the sidings, does not affect the danger-signal, by reason of thenonoperative position of the disk I relative to the disk H; but so soonas the lever is moved from the notch D toward the notch D, then thetooth H immediately meshes with the notch I and rotates the signal-shaftto present the safetyindicators at the same time that the arm B throwsthe swinging rail in line with the main track.

The lever B can be lockedin a vertical position within one' of thenotches D D D of the stand by inserting a short bar or flat key in aslot, 6 in the upper end of said lever in front of a shoulder, b,projecting upward from the arm B, and a padlock may be at tached to saidflat key.

Having described my invention and its operation, what I claim is 1. In aswitch-stand, the combination of a,

signal-shaft and a. rail-operating shaft with a toothed disk mounted onthe rail-operating shaft and a notched and concave-seat disk mounted onthe signal-shaft,substantially as specified.

2. The combination of theshaft B; provided with the disk 'H, havingthetooth H,with the shaft 0, provided with the disk having the notch Iand the concave seats I I substantially as specified.

3. The combination of the shaft B, having the arms B B, and the diskH,having the tooth H, with the shaft G, carrying the signals, and havingthe disk I, provided with the notch 1 and seats I I, and means forlooking the arm B at desired points, substantially as shown anddescribed.

4. The combination ofthe notched table D', the shafts B and 0 having thedisks H- and I,

constructed as described, the arm B, mounted upon the shaft B, andprovided with apivoted lever, B substantially as shown and described. Intestimony whereof I aflix my signature inpresence of two witnesses.

THos. L. HIGGINS, J AMES FULTON.

